First Impressions

The 2017 edition Toyota Highlander looks more than ready to do battle with anything on the road.

We’ve been pointing out the attributes of this faithful 8-passenger hauler ever since it first rolled out in 2001. This third generation crossover gets a mild facelift, with an even larger trapezoidal grille now dominating the front fascia. It’s flanked by revised projector-beam halogen headlights with  integrated DRL’s that become LEDs starting with the sporty new SE trim. All Highlanders get a sleek full LED treatment around back as well.

While a 4-cylinder remains standard,  you can opt for a revised 3.5-liter V-6 that now produces 295 horsepower… that’s an extra 25 over last year. The stronger engine comes with a new 8-speed automatic transmission, that’s two more gears than last year. A Stop and Start Engine System is now available as well.

2017 Highlanders Hybrid add LE and XLE entry level grades to its mix. Inside LE and LE Plus Highlanders, the information display in the gauge cluster grows in size and is now in color, while the USB port count jumps from 1 to 5 on all trims. 

The 2017 Toyota Highlander is on sale now starting at $30,630.